Earth and Air
by Lucy Kay
Summary: Kasey's determined to be useful for once and end the feud between the Witch and Wizard! Too bad forcing apologies doesn't always work out... Sequel to Fire and Ice. Sorry, not sorry? One-shot. Rated K. Picture is not mine.


I don't own Harvest Moon nor its characters, and I am not associated with any of its affiliates. I'm just a sad, little fanfiction writer who thinks too much about these things.

Dedicated to eeveelover1824 and XxBlue and CrimsonxX who both suggested to write a similar story but with the Witch and Wizard, and therefore fashioned this idea in the first place. Thanks, you two, and to anyone else who helped with this silly story! :D

So, this is more or less a sequel to my one-shot _Fire and Ice_. You don't have to read that one to understand this story, though it might help you out. Thanks for all of the support! I've been gone for a while, so I'm testing the waters with one-shots. Hopefully, I'll have updates for my real stories soon. Thanks for reading, and I hope you have a lovely day. :)

* * *

Kasey was just as determined as his sister, perhaps more so. He was a ruggedly handsome, strong-bodied farmer, and he was sure he was more than capable of the task at hand… Despite the queasy feeling his wife's glare was currently giving him.

"Come on, you're just being immature," he sunk his shoulders in exasperation.

"Tch, you are," Vivi rolled her eyes and went back to stirring her sweet-smelling potions.

Kasey peered over the bubbling cauldron with unease and slight distaste. He crossed his arms. "Didn't we agree you wouldn't be poisoning anybody?"

"It's _not_ poison!" She hissed, smacking his hand that got too close with her ladle. The Witch dished a portion into a small vial and paled at the drastic change of color from orange to blue. "Or… not exactly… it wasn't _supposed_ to be… What do you want again? Why are you staring at me?"

"Am I not allowed to _look_ at my wife?" Kasey asked.

"Oh, please, the _wife_ card again…" Vivi muttered and twirled away from him to scan the shelves of books and bottles crammed along all of the walls in the little farm house.

"Viv, please," he pleaded, getting between the Witch and her pot. Vivi found what she was looking for and turned to find her husband in the way. She crossed her arms and tapped her foot impatiently. "It'll just take a minute! Hear me out!"

"You can't hold anything over my head that I'd care to lose," she threatened, her orange eyes blazing. "I'm not going along with this charade!"

"But…!" Kasey fumbled for words or excuses or anything that would change her stubborn mind. A light bulb went off. "B-but he already agreed to!"

"He what?"

"Please, Wizard, please! I beg you!" Kasey was on his knees not an hour before at Gale's feet. The brown haired ruffian's desperation had tipped his table, rocking the precious crystal ball precariously on its stand.

"…No," he denied flatly, righting his magical tool and gliding across the room to his telescope.

Kasey had gained hope in the pause between his pleas. He collapsed back onto the floor in self-pity. "But why?! Does she scare you or something?"

"Fear…?" The Wizard tilted his silvery head, pausing as he ascended the staircase. The silence lasted only a second before the man gave a very rare scoff and continued his climb.

"Is it because she's a potion master? That she's too… tied to the Earth or something?" Kasey asked, now at his wits end and tugging at his hair. Forget forgiveness or making nice. Was there ever even going to be a way to get these two mystics to at least _talk?_

The Wizard took a soft cloth and began making small circles to polish the looking-glass on his massive stargazer. "I admit I prefer… say… more cosmic interests…"

"And I can admit that you're more sensible than she is," Kasey stood, dusting off his jeans. "So if there's ever going to be peace between you two, it's going to have to start with the less stubborn. Yeah?"

"'Yeah,'" Gale mimicked Kasey's casual word. It didn't suit him at all. He shook his head. "Still… I refuse."

"He said that?" Vivi wrinkled her nose in disbelief.

Kasey was doing all he could to keep his smile convincing. "Of course! He holds so much respect for you. He… he even said you were a potion master."

"Master?" She tapped her chin. She waved her hand in dismissal. "Then he's finally got some sense. I'm sure it didn't come from reading all of those stuffy books though!"

The farmer let out a huff, rubbing a hand over his face in annoyance. "So?"

"So what?" Vivi asked, tapping her heeled shoe again.

"Will you at least talk?"

The Wizard shook his head again. "She is… unstable… unkind… and selfish…"

"Hey, bub, that's still my wife you're talking about," Kasey glowered.

Gale nodded, having forgotten their friendship at the mention of his rival. "My apologies…"

Kasey exhaled and ran a hand through his hair. "Look, I'm willing to make it worth your while if you just meet with her."

"A… bribe?" Gale's interest was piqued despite his surprise. He set down the cloth and headed for the top of the stairs, looking down at the farmer curiously.

"Yes. You want this?" Kasey removed a sparkling, purple mushroom from his rucksack.

The Wizard reached out, and even though he was well a ways away to grab it, Kasey hid it behind his back. "Nu-uh. This'll be the last one I ever give you if you don't do me this one favor. Come on, man, I got back your crystal ball for you, and I give you coffee, like, every morning. You should technically be in love with me by now."

Though doubtful and slightly confused, Gale hummed in thought at the offer and any possible consequences.

Vivi pouted and stared at the ceiling. "No way. There's no way I'm going to visit that phony fortuneteller."

"Please?" Kasey asked, softly touching her arm. She wrenched her elbow away. "Not even for me?"

"No!" Vivi blushed, her resolve cracking as she looked away.

Kasey grinned. "Look me in the eyes and tell me no."

"No way!" She whined, stomping her foot.

"Viv…"

"I hate you!"

"You'll do it?! I love you!" Kasey mauled her into a hug, making the Witch shriek. He ruffled her silver hair, making the pointed hat go flying off her head. "Thanks a bunch, hon! You won't regret it; I promise!"

"I better not…" Vivi's blush only darkened as she wriggled out of his grasp. She bent and retrieved her hat, dusting off invisible dirt. "Now… where's this happening?"

* * *

"Ahem!" Kasey cleared his throat. "It's good to see everybody made it!"

Fugue Forest was a very lively place. Birds sang a hundred songs overhead on branch and under in bush. Squirrels chittered and scampered about the floor, plucking up nuts and digging hiding holes. Wind rushed through the leaves, boars snorted, and sticks cracked underfoot. Which is probably why the silence felt so deafening.

The entire forest seemed to grow still and deathly quiet as if everyone was watching and holding their breath at the three figures in the clearing. Two beings of such power hadn't come into contact in this wood in… never.

Vivi's feet were planted firmly into the dirt, her shoes twisting and crunching the ground beneath her heels. Gale was looking all too pleasantly indifferent, but his refusal to even look at her and acknowledge her presence was driving the Witch absolutely crazy.

"I decided that it was about time you two settled your differences and worked together to help this land," Kasey was saying. He was running off on tangents, completely unaware of the silent cursing and streams of hatred passing between the two before him. "Even though, heh, Molly kind of got everything done already… so this was really the last thing on the list! Good for me, right? Helping out, changing lives… just doing what I do."

"Will you tell him to stop?" Vivi suddenly interrupted, her teeth clenched behind her lips.

"I have done nothing… wrong…" Gale answered haughtily, still staring at the canopy.

"Oh! Oh, look everybody! He knows I _exist_," Vivi threw her hands in the air, dramatically gesturing. "We can move on now. Thanks for that acknowledgement, you filthy space cretin."

Kasey paled.

"'Space…?'" The Wizard asked, almost tempting a demeaning smile. "Even your insults… are subpar…"

Vivi pushed up her already short sleeve. "That's it! I'm tearing you a new one!"

"With a failed potion, I'm sure…" Gale's voice become icier in challenge.

"Uh… guys?" Kasey attempted to calmly intervene, but he was long lost from the picture at this point.

"I, mage of the Earth and master of potions—" Gale clicked his tongue at that, "—will not sit idly by while this doe-eyed stargazer belittles my craft! What do you do, huh, pretty boy? I am an enchantress! Animals worship me, and they'll do whatever I will them to. And I caution you; I'm particularly fond of bears."

Kasey face palmed. "Viv, this isn't a brag match; we're trying to sort things out, so we can live together in—"

Gale held up a hand, successfully shutting him up. He was about to clue her to the fact he could erase the Witch from history itself, but he wasn't about to bring that up when she had set herself up to look the fool so easily. "Your mortal husband is correct… no one is threatening your so called craft… except yourself… Boasting is exclusive to those… who have something to boast of…"

Vivi's face turned all shades of purple in fury. She whipped out her staff and held it aloft at the Wizard's nose. Its tip flamed with green energy, and her hair seemed to be batted by an unseen wind. "Try me, if you can get your head out of the clouds, sky mage!"

"I do not recommend… an altercation," the Wizard said. He took a calming breath. Kasey was about to congratulate him for promoting peace, but he would have spoken too soon. In just the blink of an eye, Gale posed himself for battle with purple light engulfing both hands. He levitated slightly, his purple cloak billowing around him. "You would lose…"

"Whoa!" Kasey dived between them. "This has gotten way out of hand! What's the _matter_ with you guys?!"

Though they had calmed considerably, each magic wielder continued to hold their threatening poses. The farmer lowered his arms from shielding one from the other and sighed. "Jeez, if Molly could get deities to make up, I thought it would be a _piece of cake_ to—"

"To what?" Vivi quipped, her magic going off in a snap. She planted her staff. "Are you suggesting we're _lesser?"_

"N-no! Not at all, dear!" Kasey waved his hands frantically.

"You… doubt my abilities…?" Gale's magic went out like a light as he stood there looking hurt and slightly miffed.

"I deserve just as much respect as the Harvest Goddess!" The Witch screeched.

Kasey jumped back, finding he was in the center of fire now. "Fine! Hate me! Just not each other! The only thing you guys have against each other is differing interests. There's no reason to fight like this!"

The Wizard and Witch looked in separate directions, Vivi crossing her arms and Gale letting his hands fall limply to his sides. Kasey marveled at the unexpected progress.

"Alright…" Kasey breathed. He wiped the stress sweat from his brow. "You never have to see each other again after this. All I want is for you two to shake hands, so we can all get on with our lives."

The mages eyed each other uneasily, one more obviously than the other. The forest was still grossly still, but the breathing was easier as each came to agree to the compromise.

"Very well," Vivi swallowed a bit of her pride. She held forward her hand with her nose stuck in the air.

"This once…" Gale agreed with a glower, meeting her hand.

"There…" Kasey clapped as they firmly shook. "That wasn't so bad, yeah?"

Though each had agreed to the peace and were still shaking to it, Vivi snorted. "Phony fortuneteller…"

In a flash and a small cry, Vivi fell to the forest floor. Gale quickly turned on his heel and left the scene as the Witch gathered herself and found she was a pink bullfrog.

Kasey screamed in fright and went to pick up his wife. Wracked with indecision, he turned to the Wizard instead to stop him. He hesitated reaching out to him, suddenly staring at his own hand and holding it close in fear he could be so easily turned into a frog as well.

"W-wait! Wizard! Come back! Change her back – she didn't mean it! Please! I won't ask you to do anything ever again – _Gale!"_

Kasey had no choice but to give chase as Vivi ribbitted many a nasty curse.


End file.
